Improvement in apparatus for the manufacture of gas



SShe-ets-Sheetl. A. WEBER,'I. HERZOG 8 A. T. SCHUESSLER.

APPARATUS Fon THE MANUFACTURE oF GASh No.175,536. Patented March28,1876.

r I I X' lz Y v N. PETERS, PHOTOLITHOGRAPHER WASHINGTON, Dv C.

Y l SShets-Sheetl A. WEBER, I. HERZOG & A. T. SCHUESSLER.

AP RA'IUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS.

No.175, Patented March. 28,1876.

v v vv v v sweets-sheets'. A. WEBER, I. HERZOG & A. T. SCHUESSLER. 'APATUS FOB. THE MANUFACTURE 0F GAS. NO 1755 Patented March 28,1876

UNI'I*En'5v STATES ADAM WEBER AND IGNATZ HERZOG, on NEw YORK, NQY'. T.scHUEssLER, 0E NEWARK, NEw JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENTVJN APPARATUS Fou THE MANUFACTURE oF eA's.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. l 75,536, dated March28, 1876 application filed January 28, 1876.

To all whom it may ooncern:

Be itv known that we, ADAM WEBER and IGNATZ HERZOG, both of the city,county, and State of New York, and .AUGUST TH. SCHUESSLER, of Newark, inthe county of Essex .and State of New Jersey, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Apparatus for the Manufacture of 'Gas forilluminating and heating purposes, which improvement is fully set forthin the following specication, reference being had to the accompanydrawin whicht Figure l represents a vertical section of the apparatusused in carrying out this invention, the line a: zo, Fig. 2, indicatingthe plane of the section. the same in the plane y y, Fig. 1.` Fig. 3 isa vertical section in the plane z z, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan or topview. Fig. 5 is a vertical section in the plane w x', Fig. 2. Fig. 6 isa side view.

Similar letters indicate corresponding part-s. This invention' relatesto certain improvements in apparatus for the manufacture of gas by thedecomposition of steamand liquid hydrocarbons, its object being toprovide for the superheating of the steam, and the decomposition of thesame and the liquid hydrocarbons in a more thorough and economicalmanner than has heretofore been accomplished.'

' Our invention consists, first, in the combination, with saidlongitudinal superheaters, and alseries or bench of two or more verticalretorts,-located at one or both sides ofthe furnace, of a series ofvertical heaters located on the outside of each series of verticalretorts, and" communicating with the same, as hereinafter moreA fullyset forth; second, in the combination of the longitudinal and verticalsuperheaters with a series of two or more vertical retorts, providedwith superheatingchambers in their walls communicating with the verticalsuperheaters and with the interiorA of said vertical retorts, ashereinafter more fully set forth; third,^in combination with each pairof the vertical steam-decom posing retorts, of branch pipes leading toan intermediate pipe, and two or more 'vertical oil-decomposing retortscommunicating with said intermediate pipe by similar branch Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section of torts, an intermediate' pipe colnmunicating withsaid retorts and the hydraulic main, and:

provided with a partition below the branch pipes which form the exitfrom the oil-decom A posing retorts, as more fully hereinafter setforth.

In thev apparatus shown in the drawings,

.six pairs of retorts are shown, three on each side of the fire-place,and in this figure the letter A designates the fire-place, whichoccupies the middle of the furnace A', in which are placed thesteam-decomposing' retorts B B C C', and the hydrocarbon-retorts D D.

On each side of the fire-place is a brick wall, r E, which is perforatedwith a number of aper' tures, a a, through which the iames can freelycirculate. In each of the brick walls E are two retur11-channels,b c,one above and the other below the apertures a, and one branch of each ofthe return-channels communicates with a steam-supply pipe, F, while theother branches of said return-channels connect, by means of pipes G,with the upper parts of the .steam-decomposing retorts B and C.

All the retorts in the furnace A are placed in avertical position, andthey are retained in the proper positions by partitiouwalls d, each ofwhich is provided with a return-channel, e, one branch of which connectswith the steam-supply pipe F, while 'the other branch connects with oneof the steam-decomposing retorts B or C.

In the bodies of the steam-decomposing retorts .B BC C', next to thefire-place, are return-channelsf, one branch of each of which connectswith the steam-supply pipe F, whilethe other branch thereof communicateswith one of the retorts B or C.

As the -steam circulates through the returnchannels b, c, e,and fitbecomes superheated, and in this state it enters 'the retortsB C. By

the action ofthe steam the bricks which form the walls E on the sides oftheiire-place, and the partition-walls d, are cooled off and preservedagainst the destructive action of the lire, and,

by passing steam through the return-channels f inthe bodies of theretorts, those portions of Y said retorts which are exposed tothegreatest AND Auensiiy A open at their bottoms, and they arel placed.

over tlues g h t', which 'are' so formed that the flues g formconnections between the retorts' B B', while the ues h connect theretorts C C', and the fines i theretortsD D'. (See Fig. 5.) If thefurnace A' is built von columns H,

I as shown in Fig. 1, the flues g h i are provided with openings j,which openings can be closed below by suitable covers, and throughwhich, -When the covers are removed, the ashes and the spent contents ofthe retorts can be removed. If the furnace is built on the ground, theiues g h communicate with the lateral fines 7c, which can be closed bysuitable doors, and through which, when the doors are open, the ashesand spent contents of the retorts can be removed.

The retorts B B' C C' arelilled with coke,`

coal, or other carbon, and they are provided at their bottoms withgrates l, formed of bricks, so that the coals or coke cannot drop outraked out, and at the same time the communication between said retortsand the lues g is not stopped. The retorts D D' may also be providedwith similar grates at their bottom ends, or with any other devicesuitable for the purpose.

In the example shown in the drawing, two perforated bricks, m, areplaced transversely across the bottoms of the retorts D D', and on saidtransverse bricks is placed a longitudinal brick, n. These retorts arefilled with pumice-stone or other incandescent porous material, andafter they are closed at the top hydrocarbons are introduced in a liquidor vaporous form.

0n the top of the furnace A" is situated a pipe, .1, which is closed atone end, and conmain J. From this pipe extend branch pipes K L M N,which connect, respectively, with the retorts B', C', D, and D', thebranch pipes M and N being cut off from each other by a partition, o, sothat the gases which pass from the retorts B' and G' into the pipe I arecompelled to enter the retort D, pass down through this retort and upthrough the retort D', before they can escape into the hydraulic main.

, After the retorts B B' and C C' have been charged with coal or cokeand the retorts D D' with pumice stone or other incandescent porousmaterial, the covers of all the retorts are firmly closed and the re inthe furnace is started. When the retorts have become heated to thedesired temperature the steam-supply pipe is opened and steam ispermitted to pass through one or more of the superheaters b, c, e, andf, all said superheaters heilig employed by preference, so that theparts containing them are protected against the de structive influenceyof the re. The d steam passes down through" the retorts Bland-G, and upthrough the retorts B G',- and vin its-"passage through the incandescentcoals contained in said retorts it becomes decomposed, and the gasesresulting from this decomposition pass down through theretorts D and upthroughrthe retorts 1)', where the same come 'in contact with thehydrocarbon, which is admitted in a liquid or vaporous form into saidretorts, as above stated. Bythe action of the porous material containedin said retorts the hydrocarbon vapors are distributed over a largesurface, and they readily combine with the gases resulting from thedecomposition of the superheated steam, and thereby a fixed gas isproduced, which can be used for illuminatin g or heating purposes.

By using two or more benches of retorts the operation can be madecontinuous, since each pair of steam-decomposing retorts and each pairof carbonizing-retorts can be shut off and `cleaned out and rechargedwithout stopping =the operation. In practice the steam-pipes and otherexposed parts will be covered by asbestus or other suitable material toprevent g undue radiation and Waste of heat. whilethe ashes formed inthe retorts can be Another advantage o'f our apparatus is that #anabundance of superheaters are provided, i so that if one of thesuperheaters should give l out it can be thrown out of action withoutdis- ;turbing theroperation of the apparatus, and

furthermore, the steam can be employed at a -low pressure, andcomparatively small quantities of steam have to be passed through eachsuperheaten so that all the steam becomes thoroughly superheatcd beforeit enters the decomposing-retorts.

The retorts B B', C C', and D D' are provided with intermediate braces,so that they .support each other, while the flames can circulateallround the same.

By connecting the several retorts and .thehydraulic main by vmeans of acommon dip a uniform product is obtained from our apparatus. nects atits opposite end with the hydraulic v ranged the steam is compelled totake atortuous course throughout the furnace by which itis mostAthoroughly heated, and isbroug'ht to a state fit for immediatedecomposition by the time it reaches the rst series or bench of retorts.In these retorts it is thoroughly decomposed, and the resultant gas lispassed on to the oil-decomposing retorts, the gages being finallydischarged through the branch pipes and central pipe into thehydraulicmain or the holder, or otherwise carried 0E for consumption. Itwill be perceived that the steam-decomposing retorts are arranged inpairs, which can be operated wholly independent of each other, by whichwe are enabled to decrease or increase the amount of gases generated bythe decomposition of the water, as occasion requires; and, further, thatthe gases generated by the decomposition of the water can be employedalone, Without being enriched by the oil-gas,when the gas is re'- quiredfor heating purposes simply.

What We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the longitudinal superheaters, the verticalsuperheaters and having valves, the central pipe I, and the verticaloil-decomposing retorts, the whole connected together and communicatingwith each other, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the vertical retorts, of an intermediate pipecommunicating with said retorts and the hydraulic main, and providedWith a partition below the branch pipes, which form the exit from thedecomposing-retorts, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing v We have hereunto setour'hands this 24th day of January, 1 87 6.

ADAM WEBER. I. HERZOG. AUG. TH. SCHUESSLER.

Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER.

